Mechanical pencil



Disc. 13, 1949 R. s. DORFMAN MECHANICAL PENCIL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. ie, 1946 INVENTOR: I I 0 ROBERT .S.DORFMAN El Bym Mg W A TTORNE) Patented Dec. 13,1949

2,491,254 MECHANICAL PENCIL' Robert S. Dorfman,

Robert Cecil 00.,

poration of New York Application January 19, 1946, Serial No. 642,157

11 Claims.

My invention relates to mechanical pencils and, more particularly, to pencils having a magazine for storing a plurality of leads and having a central channel adapted to receive a lead selected from the magazine and to guide this lead into writing position.

Objects of my invention are to provide a slotted selecting tube separating the central channel or, preferably, a member containing this channel from the compartments of the magazine, except from one compartment which is adjacent to the slot of this tube; to provide means to turn this tube whereby the slot can be brought into alinement with any of the magazines compartments; to provide means preventing the selecting tube from being turned out of this alinement when the lead is being guided from the particular compartment into the channelled member or back from the channelled member into this compartment; and to avoid any incorrectness of this alinement which might make the lead stick or might cause trouble in the operation of the pencil.

Other objects are to provide a clutch holding the selected lead in writing position and movable, together with the channelled member, in longitudinal direction of the pencil into and from a position where the clutch releases the lead; to provide means turning the channelled member during this longitudinal movement whereby the wall of the channelled member blocks the slot of the selecting tube; and to provide a spring operating this longitudinal movement automatically in that direction in which the clutch grips the lead.

Further objects are to provide this clutch with inner" gripping surfaces adapted to hold a lead firmly, and to release the same readily when the clutch opens; and to provide grooves positioned between these grippin surfaces and adapted for easy removal of any dust or scraps of the lead whereby such particles will not stick in the grooves and will not impair the proper operation of the pencil.

Still other objects are to provide the outside of the housing containing the magazine with visible marks, each indicating the position of one compartment, to make these marks indelible by providing grooves in the outer surface of this housing; to provide for easy molding of these grooves by providing this surface with a shoulder or step separating a thicker part of the housing from a thinner part whereby the grooves may be molded in the thicker part and may have ends running Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Inc., Flushing, N. Y.,,a corinto the open at this step; and to facilitate the. proper positioning and operation of the pencil.

Still further objects are to provide a pointer turnable together with the selecting tube and having a pointing arm positioned outside of the marked part of the housing; and to arrange this pointer at a distance from the outer surface of the housing whereby the pointer can be used as a clip for attaching the pencil to a pocket or the e. Still other objects are to secure the proper mu-. tual positions of the pointer, the selecting tube and the magazine; to provide for an easy and proper assemblage of the parts of the pencil; and to prevent separation of these parts whereby an unskillful person might spoil the pencil.

Still further objects are to provide for easy and simple manufacture of the pencil and for easy and reliable operation.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an exemplifying embodiment of my invention, from the appended claims andfrom the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view bodiment of my invention, in the writing position.

Fig. 2 shows the upper and Fig. 3 the lower part of this embodiment, all parts of the pencil of an illustrative emone of the leads being gbeing shown in a central longitudinal cross-section, except some centrally positioned or inner parts- Figs. 4,5 and 6 show cross-sections taken along the lines 4-4 and 5-5 in Fig. 2 and 6-6 in Fig.

3, respectively.

Fig. 7 shows aside view of the selectin tube, a median part being omitted. r

Fig. 8 shows a side view of the channelled member; a median part being omitted.

Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal central cross-section of another part of this embodiment.

Fig. 10 shows a side view of still another part of this embodiment.

Fig. 11 shows a top view of the part shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 shows a central longitudinal cross-sec!- tion of the clutch.

All figures are represented on enlarged scales. The scale of Fig. 1 is smaller and the scale of Fig. 12 is larger than the scale oi the remaining figures.

Referring to a housing which may have a cylindrical, preferably slightly tapering outer shape. A shoulder the drawings, numeral l. indicates V or step 2 runs around the outside of the housing I and separates an upper thicker part thereof from a lower thinner part. Grooves 3 are formed, preferably molded, in the thicker part and run upward from the shoulder 2 whereby the housing can be withdrawn from the mold in upward direction. The housing may be made of plastics or any other suitable or moldable material. A hollow terminal member 1 may be affixed to the lower end of the housing and forms a continuation of the same.

Partitioning walls 8 extend into the interior of the housing I whereby the housing forms a magazine comprising a plurality of compartments 9 which are open at the inner sides. For example, six compartments 9 are equally distributed over the circular or annular area. The grooves 3 may be arranged in groups, each comprising two parallel grooves 3 separated by a narrow surface strip which is positioned in the same radial plane as one of the compartments 9.

The upper sides of the compartments 9 are closed by a disk or plate I0 tightly inserted in or affixed to the housing I and having a central bore for the passage of a selecting tube ii. The lower ends of the compartments 9 taper or slant in central direction.

A hollow body or sleeve I2 is tightly pressed into or afi'ixed to the housing I and forms a lining of the housings upper end. The body I2 has an upper cylindrical part and a lower part formed or pressed into an unround, polygonal shape, the cross-section of this lower part preferably forming a regular hexagon with rounded corners. The'body I2 has a bottom I3 forming a zig-zag or wavy circle or crownsurrounding a central opening.

A flat body I4 is C-shaped whereby this body can be shifted in radial direction into a position where it embraces the selecting tube II, and where an upward projection I5 of the body I4 passes through a slot I6 of this tube. The upper surface of the body I4 is wavy in a manner corresponding to the lower surface of the body I2, these two surfaces having alternating projections and recesses whereby the bodies I2 and I4 en gage each other in the shown assembled position. By application of a small force, the body I 4 can be turnedrelatively to the body I2 into a similar, angularly shifted engagement. The body I4 has only a small movability in longitudinal directio the bottom I3 forming an upper and the plate Ill forming a lower stop.

,A tubular member IT has a polygonal, preferably hexagonal, cross-section fitting slidably the lower part of the hollow body l2. In the shown position, the member I! is rotatable in the upper part of the body I2.

A cap member comprises a button I8 forming the upper end of the pencil, an unround, preferably hexagonal, neck I 9 fitting the inside of the member I1 and a preferably cylindrical part 23 extending downward from the neck I9. A pointer 2| is positioned outside of the housing I and at a small distance from the same. upper end of the pointer 2| is affixed-to a ring 22 having an unround or hexagonal bore fitting around the neck I9. The cap is preferably permanently afiixed to the tube II. For example, the part 23 is pressed firmly into the upper end of the selecting tube II.

A clutch 23 is afilxed to the lower end of the selecting tube II, preferably, by tightly pressing the upper end of the clutch 23 into the tube II. The clutch 23 is a tubular body with a bore The adapted for the passage of a lead. The lower part of the clutch has an outer tapering surface 24 which, in the releasing condition of the clutch, has a slightly larger diameter than the bore of the member 7. One or more, preferably four, slots 25 extend from the lower end of the clutch up whereby this end forms a plurality of resilient claws. In the position shown in Fig. 3, the clutch is compressed in the bore of the member I and gripping surfaces 26 provided at the inside of the claws hold a writing lead 35 firmly.

Preferably, the gripping surfaces 26 are spiral ribs like blunt screw threads, spiral grooves 21 being provided between the surfaces 26. These grooves have cross-sections of small depth in radial direction and of ample width in axial direction whereby these grooves will not be clogged or will not permanently retain any scraps, dust or other particles. In addition, the grooves 27 have slanting lower sides whereby such particles will readily drop from the grooves when the clutch does not contain a lead. Thereby, the clutch can be easily maintained in properly releasing and gripping condition.

A channelled member 28 is rotatably positioned in the selecting tube I I between the clutch 23 and the part 20. The upper part of the mem-: ber 28 has a spiral slot or groove 29 engaged by the projection I5. A part of the member 28 is filled by a cylindrical bolt 30 having an oblique lower surface 3| which forms the upper end'of a lead guiding channel 32. A portion of the cylindrical wall of the channel 32 is open or cut away. When this opening is adjacent to a slot or opening 33 of the selecting tube II, a lead may pass from a compartment 9 to the channel 32 or vice versa.

A spiral spring 34 is positioned in the parts I2 and I1 between the bottom I3 and the neck I9 and urges the button I8, the selecting tube II and the clutch 23 upward.

After the parts of the pencil have been as-- sembled in the position described, and the cap member has been selecting tube II, not be separated and are permanently secured in proper operating condition.

The pencil may be filled with leads 35 of different properties, for example, of different color or fineness, in the rollowing manner: The button I8 is turned until the pointer 2| indicates one of the marks formed by the sets of grooves 3. This mark corresponds to the individual compartment to be filled. Then the button is pushed whereby the neck I9 enters the hexagonal part of the body I2, and the clutch '23, emerging from the member 1, opens. With the pencil-held upside down, a lead 35 is dropped into the opening of the clutch. This lead enters the channel 32, slides on the surface 3| laterally and passes through the slot 33 into the ment 9. Then the button I8 is released and the spring 34 moves the button, the tubular member H, the selecting tube and the channelled member back into the shown position where the mem-I upper part of the ber I7 is rotatable in the sleeve I 2. During this back movement, the channelled member 28 turns due to the engagement between its spiral slot 29 and the projection I5 of the body I4 whereby the introducedlead is blocked in the receiving compartment 9. Then the pointer may be set on the mark in-,

dicating another compartment," and another lead" may be inserted in this other compartment in permanently connected to the the parts of the pencil can.

indicated compartthe same manner, and so on until all compartments are filled with leads 35.

In order to bring a definite lead into writing position, the pointer is set on the corresponding mark, the pencil is held upright as shown in the drawings, and the button I8 is pushed whereupon the desired lead slides on the oblique lower surface of its compartment 9 laterally and through the slot 33 into the channel 32 and farther along this channel through the clutch 23. When the point of the lead projects under the clutch as far as desired, the button is released whereby the clutch moves up, is compressed by the member l and grips the lead firmly.

The lead may be moved from the writing position into the storing position in the same manner as described before with respect to the first introduction of the leads into the pencil. The marks 3 may be distinguished from each other by different colors, by numerals or in any other suitable manner. Or the housing I may be made of transparent material whereby the stored leads are visible from the outside.

The pointer ii is adapted to serve as a clip for convenient attachment of the pencil to a pocket or the like.

I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to the particular embodiment shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that my invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular embodiment shown and described is only one of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of my invention.

Having described the nature of my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any or" several angular positions in which said slot is side of one of said compartments, and guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable.

2. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said open sides being distributed around said tube at uniform angular distances, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of as many angular positions as there are compartments, said slot being in line with one of said open sides in each of said positions, and guiding means comprising a body associated with said housing and a body associated with said tube, said two bodies slidably fitting each other and having contacting sides arranged like the sides of a regular there are compartments, said bodies being movable into a position where said polygonal sides are out of mutual contact and where said tube is rotatable.

3. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular posiin line with said open polygon of as many sides as tions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, and a spring urging said tube into said latter position.

i. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each, having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, saidtube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, and a member turnably positioned in said tube, movable therewith longitudinally and having a channel with a. longitudinal open side.

5. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, a member turnably positioned in said tube, movable therewith longitudinally and having a channel with a longitudinal open side, and means turning said channelled member during said longitudinal movement into a position where the open side of said channel is adjacent to said slot of said selecting tube.

6. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal selecting slot and another longitudinal slot, a' housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said selecting slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, a member turnably positioned in said tube, movable therewith longitudinally, having a channel with a longitudinal open side and having a spiral groove, a body having a main part positioned outside of said tube and having a projection passing through said other slot of said tube into said spiral groove, and another body affixed to said housing and forming a stop for longitudinal movement of said first body.

7. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, and

a clutch having resiliently bendable claws and being connected to said tube in a position where said longitudinal movement moves said claws from a lead gripping position in said housing into a releasing position out of said housing.

8. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, and a clutch having resiliently bendable claws and being connected to said tube in a position where said longitudinal movement moves said claws from a lead gripping position in said housing into a releasing position out of said housing, said claws having inner gripping surfaces interrupted by broad grooves with lower sides slanting down in central direction.

9. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartrents, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said housing having outer marks distributed over its periphery at the same angle as said compartments, said marks being elongated and extending in longitudinal direction of said housing, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, and a pointer connected to said tube in a fixed position and having an arm positioned at the outside of said housing adjacent to one of said marks said arm having a tip movable in longitudinal direction of said housing together with said tube and along any of said elongated marks.

10. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said housing having a outer surface divided by a circular shoulder into a thicker and a thinner part, and having a plurality of marking grooves provided in said thicker part and terminating in said shoulder, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, and guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable.

11. A pencil comprising a selecting tube having a longitudinal slot, a housing surrounding said tube and containing a plurality of compartments, each having an open side adjacent to said tube, said tube being movable in said housing in longitudinal direction in any of several angular positions in which said slot is in line with said open side of one of said compartments, guiding means preventing said tube from turning during said longitudinal movement, said tube being movable out of engagement with said guiding means into a position where said tube is rotatable, a member turnably positioned in said tube, movable therewith longitudinally and having a channel with a longitudinal open side, and a body inserted in said member and having an oblique surface forming the upper end of said channel.

ROBERT S. DORFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

